Fossil-fuel fired boiler systems have been utilized for generating electricity. One type of fossil-fuel fired boiler system combusts an air/coal mixture to generate heat energy that increases a temperature of water to produce steam. The steam is utilized to drive a turbine generator that outputs electrical power.
A problem associated with the foregoing boiler system is that the boiler system can have spatial regions or locations where slag or unburnt hydrocarbons begin to adhere to walls of the boiler system. When slag formations become relatively thick, the slag formations can dislodge from the walls and damage equipment within the boiler system. This slag formation, if not timely controlled, thus affects the maintenance cycle of the boiler system by causing an early costly cleanup operation. This in turn adversely affects the power generation sales due to the resultant downtime. At the same time, these slag formations reduce the heat transfer coefficient (capability) at these locations in a superheat and reheat zone since it reduces the overall thermal efficiency of the boiler system, increasing an operational cost of the boiler system for power generation.
Accordingly, the inventors herein have recognized a need for a system and method for controlling a boiler system that can decrease a rate of slag formation at predetermined locations within the boiler system. At the same time, by implementing a burner level air mass flow and fuel mass flow control, this system and method will help in economizing the usage of costly slag reducing compounds or additives at the burner level by scheduling such usage only for burners that have a higher impact on slag formations at predetermined locations within the boiler system.